Fire hose coupling



19324 a. A. HARGREAVES FIRE HOSE COUPLING Fi led Feb. 26, 1932 of theusual expansion rings 6 clamp the same securely to the corr PatentedDec. 6, 1932 r GEORGE ARTHUR HARGREAVES, OF'EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOROF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM T. OWEN S, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS FIRE HOSECOUPLING Application filed. February 26, 1932. Serial No. 595,311.

the hose.

The main objects of this invention provide an improved are to electricterminal structure for hose couplings whereby proper electricalconnections can be made regardless of the angular relation ofthc'coupling parts when they are coupled together; to provide improvedcontacting means nections that may isting hoseto adapt. the s forelectric conbe readily attached to exame to an electric.

signalsystem; to provide such contacting means that. are readilyremovable for or replacement; to mow repair de such contacts that areself-adjusting to compensate for wear and varying degrees of gasketcompress on in the hose connection.

A specific embodiment .of this invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in:

Figure 1 is asectional view of half of an improved coupling,

wherethe female the contact member being shown partly insection. v

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the-male half of thecoupling.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the open the coupling member of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the open the coupling member of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the telescopic end of end of contactingfinger showing its form and assembly.

In the. form shown in. the drawing, the

. improved hose coupli.

ng or union comprises a male part or threaded end 1. and a female partor socket end mounted thereon a swivel or'ring 3. ends 4: and 5 aresecured respectively end of each part of the coupling by and 7 2, thefemale part having Hose in one means which ugated surface 8 on theinterior of each coupling part.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the hose ends 4 and 5 are inserted withineach respective coupling part until each abuts an annular insulatingring 9. The ring 9, being made of any suitable dielectric material,serves to prevent any contact between the expansion rings 6 and 7 andthe body of the respective coupling parts 1. and 2. A pair of wires 10and 11 are providedwithin the body of each hose 4 and 5, these wiresserving as electric conduits along the hose to interconnect the metalliccoupling parts which are secured to each end of the hose. The wires 10.as shown, are securely connected to the body of the respective couplingparts 1 and '2, and the wires 11 are connected to the res ectiveexpansion rings.

As shown in Fig. 2, the outer oropen end of the male part 1 is providedwithian annular sleeve 12. made of'suitable dielectric material. whichserves end. The sleeve 12 is provided with an annular radial flange 13which abuts the annular shoulder or end edge 14 of the body of the malehalf of the coupling.

An annular metallic sleeve 15 is also disposed within the male part 1 ofthe coupling so as to tightly fit within the dielectric sleeve 12, andextends from the end edge '14 of the coupling body part to approximatelythe 6. The sleeve center of the expansion ring 15 is provided with anannular radial flangeor contact member 16 which rests against the outerface of the flange 13, and the inner end 17 of the sleeve 15 is splitand expanded to provide a pressure contact with the inner surface of theexpansion ring 6.

As shown in Fig. 1, the female body part 2 of the coupling is providedwith an annular dielectric gasket 18 which rests against the annularshoulder 19, provided by holding ring 20 which serves to retain theswivel 3.

holding ring 20, in order to bridge the-same andi'ftherebyprevent-anyshort; circuit be- 35 part of the coupling.

As shown in Fig. 5, the finger 21-is formed to provide an oflset portion23 upon which is mounted a slidableextens'ion-element 24es eXt nsin-e met r e a ne an '9 the "radially projectin portion" or terminal and at theother on a stop toli1nit its f forward movement;

i Ini operation an I electrical connection is made between the wires orconduitslQfat. the 25' instant the. swivel or ring 3 i s-threaded uponthebody portion 1,0; the malepa'rt o f the coupling, andfthe connectionbetweenjvir'es or conduits 11 is completed as soon as'the i'fingfinger'positioned within the other of said tight upon the male body"portion '1 softhat radially"and'overlapping a-face of said gas ,femalebody portion 2 is drawnsuiliciently 38 the radial flange orconta ctmemberdfi will abut the radially projecting terminal portion 22, of thefinger 21andfthe'gasketf18.

I ,Since the flange 16of the sleeve 15*is an- 1 and 2,,jInthis'manneryan ele'ctri'c' o'r tele- I 1 exactly the same manner asthough'no' electrical connections were to be made. I

V v .VVhen it is desired to apply: the contact 7 members to existingnon-electric hoses itis ..'merely necessary to secure the ends'of thewires 10 and 11 to the respectivecoupling body and expansion ring, thensecure the finger 21 to the expansion ring 7 within'th female halfyofthe coupling, and insert the con-' v tact sleeve-1'5 and theinsulatingsleeve 12 inthe male portion of the coupling where they areheld-by surface friction, the inner end 17 .of the sleeve 15 beingpreviously split and formed so' as to'be self-expanding to contact theinner surface of the respectiveciipzinsioriring'fi. g y p '55 The onlyparts comprising my improved a repairere the sleeve 15 and" the finger21, and it is readily apparent that these partscan be easily removed andreplaced; The principal advantage of my'improved coupling, asidefromt'he readily attachable l and removable contacting elementslies'in'the telescopicjcontactVfingerlQl which serves to compensate for wear onthe gasket 18 by readily contracting without causing any tween theexpansion ,ring 7 and] thellbody trical intrcoiinec'tionbetween theexpansion rings-6 and 7 is always assured. --.:e t ee h b -ge e s e ificem o m f this invention. has been herein shown and described, it will"be "understood that certain details-30f the construction shown may bealtered or omitted Without departing from thespi rit ofthis invention asdefined by the t i orin e e 111" n electric hose .c'oupling comprisin nalefand femalepartswith an interpos gasket and havingcoa'ctm'g contactmemhers, ons of said members being positioned adj acentthe end of one ofsaid parts and havinga' radially extending portion arranged to abutafac'eofsaid' gasket,- and-the other of said 'rnen'ibers comprising anaxially extendparts-and'having itsjforward portion turned liet. saidffing'er comprising two elements slidabll one upon the other to providefor axial I v "compression and'expansio'n of said gasket:

rn-ular. in form no, consideration need be made v oftheangul arvrelationof the coupling parts 25in anel-ctric' ho coupling WmPrising "sepa'rablebody parts,-'each*having an internal 7 g r iexpa'nsion' ring insulatedfrom the respective graphic hosem'ay berapidly connected up in bodypartandyeachha'v'ing an annular shoulof the other part when said parts arecoupled together, each of said parts respectively having electricleadsconnec'ted tothe body portion and to the expansionring therein, anannular contact member disposed against the means to insulate saidcontact member from said body part-, an axially extending finger securedto the expansion ring within said other body part and projectingoutwardly beyond the respective annular shoulder of that d'er arrangedfor abutment with the shoulder part, terminal means on said fingeroverlapping the-annular shoulder of said other part,

means to insulate said finger and said tercoupling that might requirereplacement or minal from said other body part, and means tosecure'sai'd body' par-ts in coupled relation.

'3.; In anelectric hose coupling comprising male and female body partseach having an internal expansion ring insulated from the 15.. a curedto an end of a respective hose section by of said part, said sleeveextehding axially within said male part to contact the respec'-. tiveexpansion ring, means to insulate said sleeve from said male body part,an annular dielectric gasket w'thin said female body means of respectiveinternal expansion rings, an annular shoulder on each of said body partseach arranged for concentric abutment with the other when said bodyparts are in interfitting relation, an annular contact member on theshoulder of one of said body parts having means extending inwardly tocon tact the respective expansion ring of said part, means to insulatesaid contact member from said body part, a telescopic finger secured tothe expansion ring of theother of 'said body parts and extending axiallybeyond the annular shoulder of said part, terminal means on said fingeroverlapping the annular shoulder of said other part, means:

to insulate said terminal meansfrom said shoulder, and a pair 9f wireswit'hin each of the respective hose sections, one of said wires beingconnected to a respective body part and the other to a respectiveexpansion ring.

' which is secured to the res respective body part 5. An electric hosecoupling comprising separable interfitting body parts each secured on arespective hose end b means of respective internal expansion r1n s, eachof the hoses having a pair of wires t erein, one of ctive body part andone of which is secure to the respective expansion ring, a radiallyextending contact member disposed at the end edge of one of said bodyarts having means extending axially within said body part to contacttherespective expansion ring, meansto insulate said contact member fromsaid body part an annular dielectric gasket on the other of said bodyparts, contact means overlapping the outer face of said gasket andextending inwardly within said other body part to contact its respectiveexpansion ring, and means to secure said body parts in interfittingrelation such that said contact members are in abutment with each other.

6. In an electrichose coupling comprising male and female body partseach having an internal expansion ring insulated from the and eachhaving electric leads secured respectively to the body part and to theexpansion ring, an annular contact member on said male part radiallyoverlapping the end edge thereof and insulated abutting the end edge ofparts together, the ring on therefrom andhaving-means extending to"contact the respective part, and an axiallyextend'ing telescopic fingersecured to the expansion ring within said female part and having aradially extending'projection overlapping said gasket to contact withsaid annular contact member when; said body partsare coupled together.7; An electric hose coupling comprising male andfemalebody parts, anexpansion ring within each of said parts, said expansion rings beinginsulated from the respective body parts, an annular contacting memberdisposed adjacent the open end edge of said male part having meansextending axially of said male part to contact the respective expansionring, means insulating said contact member from said male part, anannular di: electric gasket within said female part an axially extendingfinger secured to the expansion ring within said female part andextending forwardly beyond said gasket,said finger being spaced from theinner surface of said female part and having a radially extendingprojection overlapping said gasket, a pair of wiresleading from each ofsaid body parts respectively, one wire being secured to the body partand the other to the expansion ring within said part, and means 4 kexpansion ring, an an I under dlelectric gasket within said'female saidfinger will contact said annular contacting member.

8. In an electric hose coupling comprising male and female parts eachsecured to an end of respective hoses by means of internal expansionrings, each of said hoses including a pair of wires one of which isconnected to the respective coupling part andthe other to the respectiveexpansion ring, a dielectric sleeve within said male part having anannular radially projecting flange on one end said male part, a metallicring on the outer-face of said flange having means extending axiallyinto said male part to contact the respective expansion ring, an annulardielectric gasket within said female part, a metallic finger secured tothe expansion ring within said female part and projecting outwardlytherefrom, said finger having terminal means at its outward endoverlapping the outward and means to secure said male and female theflange of said the'terminal means of said sleeve contacting finger. a

9. In an electrichose coupling comprising threaded male and femalebody'parts, a hose end secured within each part by means of respectivemetallic expansion rings, a noncon'ducting sleeve disposed in said malepart. and having a radial flange abutting the edge of the open end ofsaid male part, a metallic ring on the outer endsurface of said flangehaving means extending within said male face of said gasket,

part to contact the res ective expansion o ring, a non-conducting gas etwithin said female part, a telescopic finger extending for Wardly fromthe female part expansion ring and having a radially extending portionoverlapping said gasket, and a pair of wires with in each of the hosesconnected respectively to the body part and the expansion rmg.

Signed at Chicago in the County of Cook 7 and State of Illinois this29th day of J anil- G EORGE ARTHUR HARGREAVES. 7

